Students who have experienced being homeless in New York are more likely to struggle on state exams compared to peers who have not, according to a report released Monday.

The report, which was authored by education nonprofit The Education Trust – New York, found that students identified as homeless across New York are half as likely to meet state academic standards on English language arts and math tests administered to children in grades 3-8. Students who were homeless in their past had similar proficiency rates.

“We need to act with urgency to ensure that schools better serve these vulnerable students and provide them with the supports they need to succeed academically," said Ian Rosenblum, executive director of The Education Trust – New York. "New York should seize the opportunity its new accountability system offers to ensure that all schools are meeting the needs of homeless and formerly homeless students.”

The Education Trust's research, which was supported by a coalition of groups, including the Business Council of Westchester, comes as a new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, requires states to report on academic outcomes of homeless students.

Student homelessness, as defined by the federal McKinney-Vento law, includes those living in hotels or motels, shelters and "doubling up," meaning living with family and friends.

In Westchester County, homeless students make up about 2 percent of the public school student population overall, according to state data. That's due in large part because one-in-10 students are now homeless in three districts: Mount Vernon, Peekskill and Tarrytown.

In Peekskill, where 380 students were identified as homeless in 2015-16, or nearly 12 percent of the student population, there was a disparity between students who experienced homelessness and those who didn't, the report said.

Six percent of homeless students in Peekskill tested proficient on state exams for reading in 2015-16, compared to 16 percent proficient among those who never experienced homelessness. On math exams, 22 percent of students never homeless were proficient on state tests, while homeless students were 11 percent proficient.

Formerly homeless students in Peekskill were 11 percent proficient on both English and math exams.

In addition to Peekskill, the report identified more than a dozen Westchester districts that showed similar academic achievement disparities.

The Education Trust's report notes that not all students in temporary living situations do poorly in school, and this is, in part, achieved with extra support offered in schools.